edited
3rd Nov 2023
Motions - Gender Dysphoria - Treating gender diverse children
Richard Colbeck voted No, rebelling against the Liberal Party
Not passed by a small majority
6 rebellions 76% attendance
Richard Colbeck
Liberal Party Senator for Tasmania since February 2018
Rebels 0.1% of the time explain rebellions 85% attendance explain attendance
Before being Liberal Party Senator for Tasmania, Richard Colbeck was Liberal Party Senator for Tasmania.
How do they vote?
Voted consistently for
- A citizenship test
- A combined Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia
- Adani's proposed Carmichael coal mine in the Galilee Basin
- An emissions reduction fund
- Australia's timber industry
- Banning mobiles and other devices in immigration detention
- Charging postgraduate research students fees
- Decreasing ABC and SBS funding
- Deregulating undergraduate university fees
- Drug testing welfare recipients
- Extended Supervision Orders (ESOs)
- Funding the national school chaplaincy program
- Giving apprentices access to a $20,000 loan
- Imprisoning immigration detention workers who record or reveal information from their work
- Increasing beef import standards
- Increasing competition in bulk wheat export
- Increasing funding for road infrastructure
- Increasing indexation of HECS-HELP debts
- Increasing investment in the coal industry
- Increasing parliamentary entitlements for current MPs and Senators
- Increasing the cost of humanities degrees
- Live animal export
- MacMines' proposed China Stone coal mine in the Galilee Basin
- Mandatory minimum sentences for certain offences
- Offshore oil mining
- Offshore processing for people seeking asylum in Australia
- Prioritising religious freedom
- Privatising certain government services
- Privatising government-owned assets
- Privatising the ABC
- Reducing taxes for high-income earners
- Reducing the corporate tax rate
- Revoking citizenship of dual nationals involved with terrorism offences by the courts
- Senate electoral reform
- Storing all citizens' telecommunications data for access by government agencies
- Temporary Exclusion Orders
- Temporary protection visas
- The Murray Darling Basin Plan
- Turning back asylum boats when possible
- Unconventional gas mining
- Uranium export
- Voluntary student union fees
Voted almost always for
- Decreasing availability of welfare payments
- Government administered paid parental leave
- Increasing availability of abortion drugs
- Increasing scrutiny of unions
- Increasing surveillance powers
- Making more water from Murray-Darling Basin available to use
- Political intervention in research funding grants
- Preventative Detention Orders (PDOs)
- Putting welfare payments onto cashless debit cards (or indue cards) on a temporary basis as a trial
- Reproductive bodily autonomy
- Revoking citizenship of dual nationals involved with terrorism offences by the minister
- Stem cell research
- Targeting foreign interference in Australia
- The Intervention in the Northern Territory
Voted generally for
- A character test for Australian visas
- A declared area offence
- A referendum on the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Voice
- An Australian Building and Construction Commission (ABCC)
- Compulsory income management for welfare recipients
- Continuing Detention Orders (CDOs)
- Increasing or removing the Government debt limit
- Nuclear energy
- Placing the CFMEU into administration
- Putting welfare payments onto cashless debit cards (or indue cards) on an ongoing basis
- Reducing taxes for middle-income earners
- Regional processing of asylum seekers
- The Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) Agreement
Voted a mixture of for and against
- A Free Trade Agreement with China
- A publicly accessible foreign ownership register for agricultural land
- Increasing accessibility of government data and documents
- Speeding things along in Parliament (procedural)
- Suspending the rules to allow a vote to happen (procedural)
- The territories being able to legalise euthanasia
- Tobacco plain packaging
- Transgender rights
- Treating COVID vaccine status as a protected attribute
Voted generally against
- Closing the gap between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians
- Decreasing subsidisation of fossil fuels
- Encouraging Australian-based industry
- Ending immigration detention on Nauru
- Ending indexation on student debt (vocational and tertiary)
- Increasing Aboriginal land rights
- Increasing transparency of big business by making information public
- Local community consultation on infrastructure projects
- Procedural fairness
- Promoting multiculturalism
- Protecting whistleblowers
- Putting a time limit on immigration detention
- Reducing air pollution
- Self-governance of the territories
- Stopping tax avoidance or aggressive tax minimisation
- The Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme
- Tighter means testing of family payments
Voted almost always against
- A carbon price
- A minerals resource rent tax
- Banning new thermal coal mines
- Considering motions on Gaza (2023-24) (procedural)
- Decreasing the gender pay gap
- Implementing refugee and protection conventions
- Increasing consumer protections
- Increasing freedom of political communication
- Increasing political transparency
- Increasing protection of Australia's fresh water
- Increasing restrictions on gambling
- More scrutiny of intelligence services & police
- Protecting Australian sovereignty in trade agreements
- Protecting the Great Barrier Reef
- Protecting whales within Australian waters
- Removing children from immigration detention
- Restricting foreign ownership
- The federal government calling for a ceasefire in Gaza (2023-24)
- The Paris Climate Agreement
Voted consistently against
- A federal inquiry into Queensland government administration
- A review of parliamentary entitlements
- A Royal Commission into banking
- A Royal Commission into Robodebt
- A Royal Commission into Violence and Abuse against People with Disability
- A transition plan for coal workers
- An independent inquiry into Attorney-General Christian Porter
- An inquiry into the Iraq War
- An NBN (using fibre to the premises)
- Assisting Australians trying to return from overseas
- Assisting the Arts sector through the coronavirus pandemic
- Banning all investment in cluster munitions
- Building community climate change resilience
- Building dedicated quarantine facilities (COVID-19)
- Capping gas prices
- Carbon farming
- Considering legislation to create a federal anti-corruption commission (procedural)
- Creating a federal Anti-Corruption Commission
- Criminalising "revenge porn"
- Decreasing government funding for private schools
- Decreasing the private health insurance rebate
- Doctor-initiated medical transfers for asylum seekers
- Ending government investment in fossil fuels
- Ending Governor-General allowances for serious misconduct
- Ending illegal logging
- Ending immigration detention on Manus Island
- Equal treatment for all couples
- Expanding public funded dental care
- Extending government benefits to same-sex couples
- Extending Jobkeeper Payment
- Federal action on public housing
- Federal government action on animal & plant extinctions
- Greater public scrutiny of the Trans-Pacific Partnership negotiations
- Implementing the Uluru Statement from the Heart in full
- Increasing access to medicinal cannabis products
- Increasing access to the JobKeeper Payment
- Increasing access under Freedom of Information law
- Increasing federal government support for childcare
- Increasing fishing restrictions
- Increasing funding for legal aid
- Increasing funding for public schools
- Increasing funding for university education
- Increasing government support for the dairy industry
- Increasing housing affordability
- Increasing investment in renewable energy
- Increasing legal protections for LGBTI people
- Increasing marine conservation
- Increasing protection of Aboriginal heritage sites
- Increasing protections for franchisees
- Increasing scrutiny of asylum seeker management
- Increasing the age pension
- Increasing the diversity of media ownership
- Increasing the foreign aid budget to 0.7% of Gross National Income
- Increasing the Newstart Allowance rate
- Increasing the Youth Allowance rate
- Increasing trade unions' powers in the workplace
- Increasing transparency of the China-Australia relationship
- Increasing workplace protections
- Increasing workplace protections for women
- Introducing a Pacific Engagement Visa (PEV)
- Landholders' right to say no to mining and gas exploration
- Legalising pepper spray
- Letting environmental groups challenge the legality of certain government decisions
- Limiting global warming to 1.5 degrees
- Maintaining or increasing CSIRO funding
- Making the cashless debit card program voluntary and not mandatory
- More scrutiny of the Australian Defence Force
- Net zero emissions by 2050
- No new fossil fuels projects
- Paid parental leave equality for stay-at-home mums and dads
- Protecting citizens' privacy
- Protecting threatened forest and bushland habitats
- Public transport
- Re-approving/ re-registering agvet chemicals
- Reducing waste in Australia
- Refugee family reunification
- Repealing Stage 3 tax cuts
- Requiring a warrant to access citizens’ telecommunications records
- Requiring Parliamentary approval of military deployments
- Restricting donations to political parties
- Same-sex marriage equality
- Stopping former ministers from taking lobbying positions within five years
- Strengthening gun control laws
- The Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA)
- The use of strong encryption technologies
- Treating the COVID vaccine rollout as a matter of urgency
- Vehicle efficiency standards
- Withdrawing troops from Afghanistan
We can't say anything concrete about how they voted on
- A travel ban on people from certain countries
- An independent NDIS assessment process
- Banning pay secrecy clauses
- Banning the sale of non-therapeutic vapes
- Buffer zones around abortion clinics
- Building Australia’s new submarine fleet in South Australia
- Changing the wording of section 18C of the Racial Discrimination Act
- Climate change mitigation strategies (e.g., carbon capture and storage)
- Community right to say no to nuclear waste disposal sites
- Fee-free university and TAFE education
- Getting rid of Sunday and public holiday penalty rates
- Giving approval for mining in the Liverpool Plains
- High speed rail on the east coast
- Implementing the recommendations of the Royal Commission into Aboriginal Deaths in Custody
- Increasing eligibility requirements for Australian citizenship
- Increasing state and territory environmental approval powers
- Increasing support for community radio and TV
- Increasing support for the Australian film and TV industry
- Increasing support for the Australian shipping industry
- Investing in climate science
- Making Australians working overseas repay their student debts
- Market-led approaches to protecting biodiversity
- Net zero emissions by 2035
- Pill testing
- Recognising local government in the Constitution
- Removing parallel import restrictions for books
- Transgender children and young people having access to gender affirming healthcare
- Universal access to abortion services
- Using natural resource wealth for the benefit of all Australians
Please note that our voting records start in February 2006.
Rebel votes
Richard Colbeck has voted against the majority of their party 3 times since February 2006. explain rebellions
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edited 17th Jun 2021
Motions - Child Care - Adopt Labor's Cheaper Child Care Plan
Richard Colbeck voted No, rebelling against the Liberal Party
Not passed by a small majority
6 rebellions 76% attendance
-
edited 24th Aug 2018
Motions - Free Speech - Against gender neutral language
Richard Colbeck voted No, rebelling against the Liberal Party
Not passed by a modest majority
3 rebellions 59% attendance
Free votes
Richard Colbeck has taken part in 23 free votes since February 2006. explain “Free Votes”
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edited 2nd Dec 2022
Restoring Territory Rights Bill 2022 - in Committee - Approval and importation of drugs
Richard Colbeck voted No in this free vote
Not passed by a small majority
No rebellions 86% attendance
-
edited 2nd Dec 2022
Restoring Territory Rights Bill 2022 - in Committee - Limitation of power
Richard Colbeck voted No in this free vote
Not passed by a small majority
No rebellions 82% attendance
-
edited 25th Nov 2022
Restoring Territory Rights Bill 2022 - Second Reading - Agree with bill's main idea
Richard Colbeck voted Yes in this free vote
Passed by a small majority
No rebellions 87% attendance
-
edited 11th Feb 2022
Mitochondrial Donation Law Reform (Maeve’s Law) Bill 2021 - in Committee - Inclusion in annual reports
Richard Colbeck voted Yes in this free vote
Passed by a small majority
No rebellions 80% attendance
-
edited 11th Feb 2022
Mitochondrial Donation Law Reform (Maeve’s Law) Bill 2021 - in Committee - Annual report
Richard Colbeck voted No in this free vote
Not passed by a small majority
No rebellions 82% attendance
-
edited 11th Feb 2022
Mitochondrial Donation Law Reform (Maeve’s Law) Bill 2021 - in Committee - Introduce threshold
Richard Colbeck voted No in this free vote
Not passed by a small majority
No rebellions 80% attendance
-
edited 11th Feb 2022
Mitochondrial Donation Law Reform (Maeve’s Law) Bill 2021 - in Committee - Sections 28F and 28G
Richard Colbeck voted Yes in this free vote
Passed by a small majority
No rebellions 80% attendance
-
edited 11th Feb 2022
Mitochondrial Donation Law Reform (Maeve’s Law) Bill 2021 - in Committee - Stage 2 licences
Richard Colbeck voted No in this free vote
Not passed by a small majority
No rebellions 82% attendance
-
edited 11th Feb 2022
Mitochondrial Donation Law Reform (Maeve’s Law) Bill 2021 - in Committee - Definition of mitochondrial donation licence
Richard Colbeck voted Yes in this free vote
Passed by a small majority
No rebellions 83% attendance
-
edited 11th Feb 2022
Mitochondrial Donation Law Reform (Maeve’s Law) Bill 2021 - in Committee - Definition of gene technology
Richard Colbeck voted No in this free vote
Not passed by a small majority
No rebellions 80% attendance
-
edited 14th Sep 2018
Restoring Territory Rights (Assisted Suicide Legislation) Bill 2015 - Second Reading - Agree with the bill's main idea
Richard Colbeck voted No in this free vote
Not passed by a small majority
No rebellions 92% attendance
-
edited 16th Sep 2016
Prohibition of Human Cloning for Reproduction and the Regulation of Human Embryo Research Amendment Bill 2006 - Third Reading - Read a third time DUPLICATE
Richard Colbeck voted Yes in this free vote
Passed by a small majority
No rebellions 87% attendance
-
edited 7th Oct 2014
Prohibition of Human Cloning for Reproduction and the Regulation of Human Embryo Research Amendment Bill 2006 - Third Reading - Read a third time
Richard Colbeck voted Yes in this free vote
Passed by a small majority
No rebellions 87% attendance
-
edited 10th Oct 2014
Prohibition of Human Cloning for Reproduction and the Regulation of Human Embryo Research Amendment Bill 2006 - In Committee - 15 day warrant duration
Richard Colbeck voted Yes in this free vote
Passed by a small majority
No rebellions 83% attendance
-
edited 10th Oct 2014
Prohibition of Human Cloning for Reproduction and the Regulation of Human Embryo Research Amendment Bill 2006 - In Committee - Increase penalties to 15 years
Richard Colbeck voted Yes in this free vote
Passed by a small majority
No rebellions 84% attendance
-
edited 7th Oct 2014
Prohibition of Human Cloning for Reproduction and the Regulation of Human Embryo Research Amendment Bill 2006 - In Committee - National Stem Cell Bank
Richard Colbeck voted Yes in this free vote
Not passed by a small majority
No rebellions 84% attendance
-
edited 7th Oct 2014
Prohibition of Human Cloning for Reproduction and the Regulation of Human Embryo Research Amendment Bill 2006 - In Committee - Deposit of stem cell samples
Richard Colbeck voted No in this free vote
Not passed by a small majority
No rebellions 80% attendance
-
edited 7th Oct 2014
Prohibition of Human Cloning for Reproduction and the Regulation of Human Embryo Research Amendment Bill 2006 - In Committee - Public health benefit
Richard Colbeck voted No in this free vote
Not passed by a large majority
No rebellions 78% attendance
-
edited 7th Oct 2014
Prohibition of Human Cloning for Reproduction and the Regulation of Human Embryo Research Amendment Bill 2006 - Second Reading - Read a second time
Richard Colbeck voted Yes in this free vote
Passed by a small majority
No rebellions 86% attendance
-
edited 7th Oct 2014
Therapeutic Goods Amendment (Repeal of Ministerial Responsibility for Approval of Ru486) Bill 2005 - Third Reading - Read a third time
Richard Colbeck voted Yes in this free vote
Passed by a small majority
No rebellions 96% attendance
-
edited 7th Oct 2014
Therapeutic Goods Amendment (Repeal of Ministerial Responsibility for Approval of Ru486) Bill 2005 - In Committee - Amend the current process
Richard Colbeck voted Yes in this free vote
Not passed by a small majority
No rebellions 97% attendance
-
edited 7th Oct 2014
Therapeutic Goods Amendment (Repeal of Ministerial Responsibility for Approval of Ru486) Bill 2005 - In Committee - Amend the current process
Richard Colbeck voted No in this free vote
Not passed by a small majority
No rebellions 95% attendance
-
edited 7th Oct 2014
Therapeutic Goods Amendment (Repeal of Ministerial Responsibility for Approval of Ru486) Bill 2005 - Second Reading - Read a second time
Richard Colbeck voted Yes in this free vote
Passed by a small majority
No rebellions 93% attendance
Recent Votes
Recent votes in parliament that this Senator could have attended.
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Matters of Urgency — Aukus
Richard Colbeck voted No
Not passed by a modest majority
No rebellions 50% attendance
-
Committees — Legal and Constitutional Affairs References Committee; Reference
Richard Colbeck was absent
Not passed by a small majority
No rebellions 57% attendance
-
Committees — Environment and Communications References Committee; Reference
Richard Colbeck was absent
Not passed by a small majority
No rebellions 57% attendance
-
edited 12th May 2016
Motions - Australian Electoral Commission: Election Materials - Use Australian paper
Richard Colbeck voted No
Passed by a small majority
No rebellions 76% attendance
-
edited 23rd Aug 2016
Motions - Transport Industry - Support the industry
Richard Colbeck voted No
Not passed by a large majority
No rebellions 59% attendance
-
Committees — Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade Legislation Committee; Reference
Richard Colbeck voted No
Not passed by a modest majority
No rebellions 62% attendance
Compare Richard Colbeck with someone else
Shows people in order of those who voted always the same as Richard Colbeck (100% agreement) to those who never voted the same (0% agreement).
We only compare those votes where both people attended. This may reveal relationships between people that were previously unsuspected. Or it may be nonsense.
| Agreement | Name | |
|---|---|---|
| 100% | Hollie Hughes | Liberal Party Senator for NSW |
| 100% | Maria Kovacic | Liberal Party Senator for NSW |
| 100% | Dave Sharma | Liberal Party Senator for NSW |
| 100% | Ian Campbell | Former Liberal Party Senator for WA |
| 100% | Sean Edwards | Former Liberal Party Senator for SA |